Speckled Sea Trout on board 16 X 12"

This fish is no stranger to lowcountry fishermen. Although here mostly in the fall and winter, hence the name "Winter Trout", it is a beautiful fish , especially just when removed from the water. Blue, lavender, green, pink and yellows are observed initially and the fade to mostly iridescent silver color with numerous black spots. Other names commonly used here locally for this fish include "Weakfish" and "Speckled Trout" or "Seatrout". "Weakfish" derives from the weak tissues at the mouth compared to other local gamefish. Not uncommonly, the fish is able to shake the hook and escape a fisherman because of the tendency of the tissues not to hold the hook securely.

This fish feeds predominantly on small fish, minnows, and shrimp. Not many winters back, our estuary water temperatures dropped too low and a large "fish kill" occurred with dead trout found everywhere behind Kiawah and Seabrook Islands. Since that freeze, this fish has been slow to recover its numbers and size.

A "Summer Trout" lives here as well and can be differentiated by its lack of spots. Both fish have two small "fangs" at the very front of it's maxillary jaw structures.

This painting is done with acrylic on a pine board, is 3 and 1/4 pounds in weight . It is 16 X 12"